A deal with the devil
by Rain Flametree
Summary: Desperate for money Terran makes a deal with a pirate to find a a magical globe. Never did she realise that by taking this job her life would change forever. She is whisked away to Neverland but now she is in more danger than ever. Who can she trust in a land where no one ages? Can she survive Captain Hook's blood thirsty wrath?
1. Chapter 1

London 1791

The stench is what hit me first; a putrid concoction of fish, sweat and booze causing me to gag as bile rose up in my throat. The air, thick and hot, clung to me, sweat soaking my shirt. I strained against the course rope wrapped tightly around my wrists and ankles but only succeeded in ripping my tender skin as the rope cut into it. A gasp of pain and panic forced its way from my lips as I continued to struggle. The futility of my efforts were not lost on me but I couldn't just do nothing. Any minute the pirates would come back to the hold and I couldn't think of any scenario in which they had good intentions.

Shuffling footsteps sounded through the dark, getting louder and louder. I pulled harder on the rope, my hands slick with what I knew was blood. With each frantic tug, pain stabbed through my wrists. The door to the hold began to open. Shafts of bright light blinding me. I squinted at the doorway trying to see the blurred figure approaching. A bedraggled man stood before me, his mouth twisted into a cruel smirk. Grey streaked through his black grizzly beard and through his matted long hair. Cold, beady eyes glared down at me from underneath a pair of large, bushy eyebrows. A weathered hand reached out and grabbed me roughly by my shirt collar. He dragged me unceremoniously from the hold and up onto the main deck.

For a few moments I just lay there blinded by the burning sunlight, my eyes slowly becoming accustomed to the new setting. When my eyes finally focused, I was not met with a pretty sight. Sneering pirates jeered at me from around the ship. An assortment of menacing weapons clutched in their gnarled fingers. But what was most terrifying of all was the tall man glaring down at me with cold, steel blue eyes from the forecastle deck. Out of all the pirates he was the most well groomed. He was decked out in a long red coat, a large tricorn hat perched on his dark, curly locks. When he reached up his hands to call for silence the sun glinted of a sharp hook attached where his left hand should be.

With the grace of shark circling its prey, the pirate Captain descended onto the main deck. His buckled boots coming to rest before my face.

"How foolish you must be girl to wander the streets of London alone," he sneered down at me, "looks like we'll be eating well tonight, hey men!"

Around me the other pirates whooped and cheered. I stared up into the face of my captor, refusing to seem weak.

"Though I admit it may have been foolish for me to wander alone, you will be the foolish one if you eat me", I spat back at him, holding his icy glare.

"And why is that little girl. All I see is a worthless street urchin. No one important would care if you just disappeared. You are a nothing!"

"Word on the street is you're looking for something."

The Captain face froze. His lunged at me, his hand grabbing my hair and wrenching my head back.

"Do you know where it is?"

His face was so close, I could feel the heat of his breath against my skin.

"You're looking for Titania's globe, am I right?"

He nodded, his cold, blue eyes never leaving my face.

"I know where it is and I can get it for you…" I hesitated, " for a price."

I watched as a mixture of emotions flickered across his face: anger, bitterness, contemplation and… amusement? To my surprise he began to laugh. His crew shuffled around uncomfortably, unsure of how to react.

"You're brave little girl, I'll give you that. Bring me the globe and you'll be rewarded," he produced a glittering red jewel from the pocket of his coat about the size of a large chicken egg, "fail and we will hunt you down and slit your throat. Do we have a deal?"

I stared at the jewel hungrily. A jewel like that could set me up. No more cold nights on the streets or scraps to eat.

"We have a deal."

The captain whipped out a dagger from his coat. I scrambled back. Suddenly fearful that I had greatly misjudged the situation. But the dagger sliced only through the ropes bounding my wrists and then through the rope around my ankles. I sighed with relief as I stretched out my aching limbs.

"Go now before I lose my patience."

Not needing to be told twice. I jumped to my feet and scampered to where a row boat was waiting. A bald, rotund pirate clambered in after me and we were lowered down into the water.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun was just beginning to rise by the time I reached the crumbling mess of brick I called home. Warm shafts of sunlight filtered between the chimneys towering over me. I clambered over a tangle of contorted metal and into the darkness of the derelict warehouse. Gaunt, pale faces greeted me. Groups of destitutes, abandoned by society, huddled around the room. I strode past them towards the corner of the warehouse, which I had claimed as my own. However, all there was to show my presence was a couple of worn blankets crumpled in heap. Not much to show of my 17 years on this earth. I slumped down against the wall, my head falling back against the cold stone. What had I gotten myself into?

I closed my eyes, plans beginning to formulate in my brain. Word on the street is that Titania's globe is being housed in Smith's jewelry shop. Between me and the globe stands two buff watchman, a locked door and a locked store room. Tricky but not impossible. However, whatever I did I'd have to do it fast. A guard of runners passed by the shop on watch every half hour. I also had to watch out for the troublesome passers by, who thought it was their moral duty to report a break in. What I would need is a lookout to watch the street, who could also help me take out the guards and I knew just the guy. Two guys, half an hour, one globe. I could do this.

It was just after midday when I reached Covent garden. The market place was bustling with people selling their wares. Seller's voices competing with each other to be heard. I spotted the young man I was looking for across the square and dived into the fray. People bumped into me from all sides as I weaved my way through the crowds. Stray swinging elbows coming uncomfortably close to my face forcing me to duck around them. I broke out from the people on the other side of the square.

"Johnny!"

He whipped around to look at me, a cocky smile spreading across his face, "How's things Terran?"

"I got a job cooking if you're interested?"

He sauntered towards me, throwing his arm across my shoulders.

"Ah business. And here I thought you were here to see me darling."

I shrugged him off with a laugh.

"This is a serious one. Can we go somewhere to talk that's a little more private?"

He took me by the hand and lead me down a street coming of the marketplace. We took another left and entered into a dirty looking pub. A couple of drunks lounged sloppily at a table near the bar but apart from them it was empty. We chose a table in the corner of the pub and sat down opposite each other. For a few minutes neither of us talked. His calculating green eyes regarded me searchingly, as if he was looking for something that he could find from my facial expression. The moment passed and his usual cocky smile returned to his face.

"So what's the job?"

I proceeded to recount to him my misadventures of last night. At the mention of my kidnapping his hand clenched tight into a fist but he continued to listen in silence, his scowl deepening.

"... and that's why I need your help to steal the globe."

I waited anxiously for him to say something, searching his face for any idea into what he was thinking. But his face remained unreadable as the moments stretched on. Finally, when I didn't think I could handle another moment, he spoke.

"I'll help you."

"You will!" I jumped forward in my seat excited, knocking the table with my knees with a loud bang.

We both stiffened, our eyes flicking fervently around the room but no one was paying us attention.

"Calm down. Don't draw attention to us," he scolded, his tight posture showing he was still on edge.

"I'm sorry, that was reckless," I admitted settling back down into my chair, "Thank you for agreeing to help."

"Hang on. I'll help you but I want a cut."

I shook my head with a smile, "How could I expect any different."

For the next two hours we detailed out our plan. It would all go down tonight.


	3. Chapter 3

Crouched at the edge of a roof top, concealed by the darkness, I waited. My heart pounded with anticipation. Any moment now.

A group of runners, batons hanging loosely from their hands, slumped passed the jewelry shop. So much for threatening law enforcement. As soon as they turned the corner I leapt forward, scrambling down the wall. The brick scraped my palms as I clambered down but I could not afford to slow down. My feet hit the cobbles of the alley beside the jewelry shop and I ducked into the shadows. The hulking forms of the shop's watchmen slouched in the doorway of the shop. A glowing fire built up in front of them sent ghoulish shadows flickering across their faces.

Where was Johnny? Doubt and fear stabbed my chest. Then I spotted him. A lurking shadow crouched on the rooftop ledge above the watchmen. Mine was the first move. Without anymore hesitation I took the stone that I had pocketed earlier and lobbed it down the alley. The watchmen jumped their feet, weapons raised. Silence. Cautiously they edged out from the doorway alcove into the main alley following the noise. Johnny leapt, both feet hitting the guards between the shoulders hard and sending them sprawling onto the floor. I grabbed the metal bar from my waist band and lunged from the shadows. I struck out with the bar lashing it across a watchman's head with a sickening crack. He hit the floor, blood gushing from his nose and cheek. He cursed spitting blood. Close by Johnny, still struggling to breath from the impact of his jump, wrestled with the other watchman. His dominating frame slowly overpowering Johnny. He needed my help. I brought the metal bar down, the watchman lifted his arm to defend his face but my previous blow had left him slow and weak. The bar struck the guard's head and his eyes rolled backwards before he slumped to the floor. I whipped around towards Johnny. Johnny was pushed up against the wall, both their weapons lying useless out of reach. The guard's fists pummeled Johnny in a continuously, he struggled against the bigger man but could not break free. Fierce anger consumed me and I attacked blindly, striking out with the bar. It struck the guard in the throat and he fell back gasping for breath. Johnny took the advantage smacking him across the face. The blow sent him tumbling backwards, he tried to right himself but was too late I was on him. My bar came down again and again. Each strike harder and more frenzied than the last. His snarling face attacking Johnny filled my vision and I couldn't stop, fuelled by an uncontrollable anger. A hand grabbed my wrist yanking my back. My head whipped round, muscles already tensed to attack but it was Johnny. His eyes wide and stricken. The hate and anger bled away from my chest leaving an empty hollow. Slowly I turned back towards the guardsman beneath me. His blood splattered the alley cobbles around me and over my shirt. I blanched when I saw his face. A mess of blood and bruises; so swollen it no longer resembled the watchman.

I recoiled sharply, scrambling onto my feet shakily.

"Are you alright?", Johnny asked a wary look haunting his eyes.

I turned away, not wanting to see the way he looked at me.

"We need to go inside," I replied bluntly and ran towards the door.

It didn't take long to pick the lock and I hurried inside leaving Johnny to deal with the two guards. It was cold inside the shop, my breath coming out in a puff of mist in front of me. The unnatural quiet sent shivers down my spine. Rows of glass cabinets holding an assortment of shiny necklaces and bracelets bejeweled with tacky, fake gems and boasting overly expensive prices. A dirty con if ever I saw one and these so called business men look down on us and our dealings.

I rolled my eyes in disgust as I passed the cabinets making my way swiftly across the room to the back room. A heavy locked door barred my way. I dropped to my knees to pick the lock. It was harder this time. The lock on this door was far more complicated than the last, so it must have been expensive. What could be so important about this globe that a cutthroat pirate is desperate to get his hands on it and a tacky shop is willing to spend so much on protecting it when they clearly have limited funds?

The lock gave way with a clunk and I yanked open the heavy door. Inside the room was icy cold. Where as before the quiet had only sent shivers down my spine, in the room it was suffocating. It was as if no sound could penetrate the gloom of the room. Slowly I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the shelves until I spotted an old metal chest placed up on a high shelf. I reached up towards it my feet straining as I pushed myself up on to my toes. My fingers grazed the chest, nudging it carefully towards the shelf's edge. It tipped and I caught it. The chest was heavier than I'd expected. I dropped it down onto the floor and lifted up the lid. Inside a faintly glowing glass orb sat on a cushion of velvet. It pulsed softly as if beckoning me. Before I knew what I was doing the orb was out of the chest in my hands. It's warm glow thawing my frozen fingers. I couldn't look away. Swirling colours of pinks, greens, yellows and blues filled the globe like tendrils of smoke. The more I stared, the harder it was to look away.

A sound caught my ear. Faint. Bearly a sound. A whisper caught on the wind. There it was again. Louder this time. A voice. Not loud enough to be comprehended. I strained to hear bringing the globe closer. A screeching face burst into globe! I jumped back in fear the globe falling from my fingers. It hit the ground! Black.


End file.
